Moving to US Virgin Islands

Are you considering moving to US Virgin Islands? If you are looking for information on the area, and help with your move to the US Virgin Islands then allow us to guide you. We will provide you with free, personalised quotes from up to 10 experienced international moving companies who will safely transport your possessions from door to door.

The US Virgin Islands are located in the Virgin Islands Archipelago. The archipelago is located between the Caribbean sea to the south and the Northern Atlantic Ocean to the North. The climate is tropical, but with a cooling affect from the trade winds reducing the average temperatures.

Infrastructure / Job Prospects

If you are are interested in moving to US Virgin Islands for work, you will want to know a little background information on the local economy.

The largest sectors of the economy are those of Tourism and manufacturing. Additional areas of employment are the agricultural and financial sectors.

The tourist industry is incredibly important to the islands, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The capital, Charlotte Amelie, located on St. Thomas island is well known as an important cruise ship destination and a major shopping and tourism resort. The main duty-free shopping areas, located in the water front areas are frequented by bargain hunters, both from the region, and all over the world.

Additionally the island of St. Croix offers a range of activities and heritage sites, like the local Plantation Museum and the modern-day rum factory, in addition to providing further opportunity for shopping and dining, visits to the casino and many more outdoor activities, including golf, horse-riding and scuba diving.

St. Croix is the home to one of the world’s largest oil refineries, Hovensa, which is owned by Hess Oil, a virgin Islands company, and a joint venture between a US and Venezuelan company. The refinery provides a great deal of local employment, in addition to its contribution to cheaper local fuel prices!

Additional areas in the manufacturing sector include textiles, pharmaceuticals and electronics.

The government has been working to improve the financial services industry, and this is likely to be a growing industry for the islands.

Living cost and Taxes

Taxation in the US Virgin Islands is relatively high, particularly for corporations as they are based on 110% of the US standard rates.

Individuals resident in the US Virgin Islands are taxed on their worldwide income. Income tax rates in the US Virgin Islands are the same as in the US. There is no sales tax, but goods are generally more expensive, and this, combined with a lower level of pay for most employment, means that living costs are higher for most people than in the US.

Ports

The Virgin Islands Port Authority deals with most of the important ports in the US Virgin Islands. The ports are essential to the tourist industry, and together serve over 2 million passengers a year.

The largest port in the US Virgin Islands is the harbour of Charlotte Amelie, also the busiest in the Caribbean, with around 1.5 million people using the cruise ship and other port facilities every year.

The ports also deal with over 1 million tons of cargo every year, the majority of which is handled by the ports of St. Thomas, although the ports of St. Croix deal with around 200,000 tons a year.

St. Thomas is home to one of the best natural deep water ports in the Caribbean islands.

Major airports

Cyril E. King Airport is the primary airport, located on St. Thomas and serving around 630,000 passengers a year, and providing direct flights to several US cities, including New York and Chicago, and Internationally to London, England.

The secondary airport, serving around 200,000 passengers a year is the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, located on St. Croix and provides service to other Caribbean islands, in addition to the US cities of Miami and Philadelphia.

Together, the airports serve a total of around 850,000 passengers a year and provide and essential service for tourists and those moving to US Virgin Islands alike.

Important Cities and Population Density

The islands of St Croix, St Thomas and St John are the main islands in the group, with the largest being St Croix, covering nearly 85 square miles.

The second largest island, St. Thomas is home to the capital, Charlotte Amelie, which is also the largest city, with a population of around 19,000. After Charlotte Amelie, the town of Christiansted is one of the most important towns, historically, having been the former capital of the islands.

The third main island, is St. John, covering 19 square miles.

Including the many smaller islands that form part of the territory the land size is around 350 sq km and the total population is over 100,000, with the majority of the population being resident on St. Thomas.

US Virgin Islands Facts

The US Virgin Islands used to be called the Danish West Indies, until they were sold to the US by Denmark, for $25 million in 1917.

In addition to the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas, there is a fourth island, Water Island which was used by the military until recently for the testing of chemical weapons. It is now home to a population of around 150 although it is being developed further at present, so the population is likely to increase significantly.

The islands have recently been hit by a number of Hurricanes, which have caused substantial damage to the islands in the last 20 years.

If you are looking to move to US Virgin Islands, we recommend you fill out the free estimate form which will allow you to specify details of the possessions you would like to take with you when you move. We will provide you with up to ten free, personalised quotes from pre-screened inter-state and international moving companies.